Folding furniture.



PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

:1. STANLEY. FOLDING FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28. 1903.

3551.1 lfs CHofpncq/(D larged perspective detail of the bent bracket-UNITED 'STATES PATENT A OEEIOE. IEVING STANLEY, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOE ro PiERsON L. WELLS, y OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FOLDING FURNITURE.

To all whom 'it ma/y concern:

Be it known that I, IRV'ING. S'IANLEY, of the borough of Manhattan, cityand State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Folding Furniture, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates particularly to articles of foldingfurniture in whose construction there is embodied a frame havingconnected thereto a pair of members joined bya cross-brace, theorganization being such that said members may in folding be broughtclose together in line with each other and with the cross-brace withoutdisconnecting or separating the parts from each other. Such anorganization is suited for the 'construction of a folding cot," and thepresent invention is herein disclosed in such an article, it being amonglthe objects of the present improvements to facilitate the operation ofputting up and taking down and folding and to provide a constructionenabling the article to be folded upin as small a compass as maybe.

In the drawings accompanying the present specificationl there isillustrated a folding cot embodying my present improvements.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ofsuch cot, one of theend bars being indicated out of its assembled position and the canvastop or cover being in outline'.- Figs. 2 and 3 aretwo views of the cotfully folded. Fig. 4 is a cross-section'of the cot re' resent-Specification of Letters Patent. Applimion mea august 2s. 1903. serialNo. 171,144.'

ing a pair'of upright legs, one on eac side of the cot, connecte by across-brace and showing means forthrowing out the lower end or foot ofone of the legs, as in folding up the cot, and, conversely, for drawingit in, as in putting up the cot in condition for use. i Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to' Fig. L1, showing the parts of the latter figure set up. Fig.6 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of a blank which may be used inmaking the pivoted brace-end carrier indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. j Fig.7 is a detail of such carrier. Figs. 8 and 9 are similar to Figs.' i and5, respectively, but show somewhat different means for throwing out anddrawing in the leg and for fastening the same in its drawn-in position.Fig. 10 is an enforming plate desi'gned'for attachment. to eachl end legand the strengthening of the joint at that point', Fig. 11 is a view ofa Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

blank whichmay be .used for the Inanufac;`

ture of such'strengthening-bracket. 12

is a detail perspective of the latter. Figs. 13,

14, and 15 are views similar to Figsfl, 2, and 3, respectively, butillustrate a cot each of whose intermediate pairs of'legs' are con'-nected by ahinged' cross-bar.

Similar characters of' reference designate correspondingpartsinallfigures.

VThis present cot construction embodies longitudinal side' bars ofthe'des'iredl length,

constituting a frame and between which 1s stretched` the canvas. Thesebars or rails (designated in Figs. 1 and 13 by 22) are in the presentinstance each divided into three sections or partsl jointed 4'togetherto fold upon each other in amanner that will presently appear, while thecanvas top is preferably. somewhat cut away at' each joint as well as atthe ond corners, (see the dotted outline in said figures,).so that thecanvas will not interfere with the folding. I

Disposed beneath each joint, with the abutting ends of the contiguoussections resting thereon, is an'upright leg member ,3,y eachI suchmember. being connected by a cross brace with the correspondingmember'under the opposite joint of the other longitudinal bar, as willbe evident from Figs. 1 and 13. Thereis therefore in the present cot twosets of intermediate supports for the lon itudinal bars, each setcomprising a pair of egs connected by'a cross-bar.

It being premised that in the operation of folding these longitudinalbars are brought up close together in line with each other without .inany way disconnecting or separating any of the parts of either ofsaidsu'pp'orting sets, means will now be described whereby this may beeffected.

In the construction disclosed in Fig. 1 particularly the cross-bar 4ofeach supporting set is a rigid one-piece. bar, abutting at oppo siteends against the'legs of the set' and prevented from dropping downwardby stops 5 5 on the legs.

- Adjacent to the ends of each cross bar or i ready for use, thesediagonal braces'actby pulling and holding inward', the lower ends of thelegs to tightly stretch the canvas and hold the parts firmly and rigidltogether. There may, of course, be a'pair of t e diagonal braces 6 7 oneach side of each set of legs and connecting cross-bar. The points ofpivotal connection of the diagonal bracesV and their relative lengthsare such that in folding the legs comprised in each pair may be swungdown upon opposite sides of the connected cross-bar. (See the dottedposition in Figs. 4 and 8.) To enable this to be readily edected, it-isdesirable to provide some means for relieving the tension on the canvaspreparatory to the folding operation.

In' the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, the upperend of the diagonal brace 7 is pivoted to a carrier 8, which in turn ispivotedon the cross-bar 4. This carrier may be made of sheet metal andhas a lingerpiece 9 and laterally-extending ears 10 10, between whichthe cross-bar is located, and whichv are provided with perforations 11for pivotal attachment to the cross-bar and perforations 12 for ivotalattachment to the diagonal brace. en the finger-piece of this carrier ispulled toward the left from the position indicated injFig. 5 to theposition indicated' in Fig. 4, the connected brace is pushed outward andthe lower end of theleg moved in a like manner to thereby relieve thestrain on the canvas. In the construction illustrated one diagonal braceis somewhat longer than the other, and, assuming the tension to be'relieved by the swinging of the carrier of each supporting set, asdescribed, the legs, cross-bar, and diagonal braces of the supportingset can then be readily moved, so that. the legs occupy the positionindicated in Fig. 4" that is, with the longitudinal bars in line andclose together. Conversely, assuming the relatively movable leg of asupporting set to be in the position indicated in Fig. 4, the carriermay then be swung to its opposite position, drawing the lower end of theeg inward and tightly stretching the canvas byoperating about the end ofthe cross-bar as a fulcrum until the line of lon itudinal strain on. thediagonal brace, whic passes through the pivot-axis, at the carrier endof the` brace, comes into line with and referably passes beyond thepivotal axis about which the carrier swings. In this position the partsare firmly held by a stop 13 on the carrier, which comes in contact withthe under side of the cross-bar 4.

Instead of rendering the end of at least one of the diagonal bracesadjustable in and out in the manner described the construction indicatedin Figs. 8 and 9 may be adopted, in which the brace 7 may be adjustablysecured in a slot'14 of the cross-bar, as by a thumbscrew 15 orequivalent device.

It has already been stated that in folding each supporting set the upperends of the legs are caused to approach and such ends brought in linewith each other, the legs still remaining side by side. Such a resultmay be accomplished with a jointed cross-b ar instead of the rigidone-piece bar thus far described.

A cot construction having a jointed. crossbar is illustrated in Figs.13, 14, and 15, in which each supporting set is substantially the same,as already described, except that the cross-bar 16 thereof is providedintermediate its ends with a knuckle-joint 17, permitting the parts ofthe bar to be folded down on each other. Thel supporting set is whichbraces are, however, in'the figures referred to shown of equal length. Oviously either of the constructions described for shifting the upper endof one of the diagonal braces may be adopted. In folding, the canvashaving first been loosened and the crossbar pulled out somewhat from theother leg to clear the top 5 thereon, the ends of the cross-bar are thenswung downward and the legs moved parallelly together until theyapproach as near as possible.

The present cot is one provided at each end with a removable end barpassing through loops 18 18 at the ends of the canvas and Fig. 1 eachend bar 19 is a single one-piece bar, which fits over dowel-pins 20,projecting from the ends of the longitudinal or side bars 2 2, while inFig. 13 each end bar 21 has a knuckle-joint 22 between its ends.

. At each end of the side bars 2 2 is a leg 23, which in the particularconstruction illustrated is pivoted to the side bar on the insidethereof, so that it may be swung upward on the inside of the bar in linetherewith. Preferably some means will be employed'for holding each leg23 firmly in position and as rigid as possible against stresses tendinto force it from its proper upright osition. he particular meansindicated in igs. 1, 10, 11, and 12 for such purpose comprises a bent-upplate or bracket 24, rigidly secured to the outer face of each leg andin such position as to intervene between the leg and the inner face ofthe longitudinal bar to which the leg is pivoted. This plate may beprovided with projections 25, adapted to be bent over the edges of theleg, and ordinarily may be made in somewhat an L shape, Aone arm 26running down the leg while the'other arm 27 extends toward the adjacentend of the lon itudinal bar which lies along the face the'reo Adjacentto its end portion this horizontal arm of the plate has a lateraloutwardly-extending flange 28, which is located under the end portion ofthe longitudinal bar and projects beyond the extreme end thereof, asindicated in Fig. 10. The attempt to swing the lower end of the legoutward will be resisted by the pressure of the flange against thelongitudinal ar, while the leg is free to be swung inward provided, asbefore, with diagonal braces 6 6,`

holding the canvas stretched lengthwise. In i IOS in line with the lattebar. The end bar when in position serves to lock the leg from thisinward-swinging movement by means of an overhanging keeper 29 of the arm27 of the plate adapted to extend over upon the top of the positionedend bar, this keeper, together with the lateral inwardly-extendingflange 30, from which it projects, and the said flange 28 operating toresist the action of deforming stresses tending to alter the properrelative position of the end bar.

In Fig. 13 metallic sockets 31 are secured to the ends of thelongitudinal bars for the reception of the end bar extremities, and theend legs impinging against the end bars are prevented from movingoutward.

The manner in which the folding of the cot is 'completed now remains tobe described. Assuming the end bars to have been removed and the endlegs to have been swung upward and inward, as aforesaid, the canvas isslack ened in the manner already described. The manner in which the twolongitudinal .or side bars are then caused to approach ea'ch other andultimately lie side by side will be understood from the explanationalready given. The canvas should then lie over on' one side. Each leg 3of one of the said supporting sets,

the set at the left in Figs. 1 and 13, has rigidly secured to it ahinge-forming plate member 32, (there may be one on each side of theleg,) to which the end section of the longitudinal bar on that side ispivoted, as well as the intermediate section. When straightened out, thecontiguous ends of the said sections may rest on the up er end of theleg and the pivotal axes of tlib sections are substantially equidistantfrom the leg. The two end sections with their swung-in end legs may thusbe swung down close against the legs of the folded supporting set, andthe intermediate sections may be brought into a similar relation on theother side of the latter legs. Referring to the other of said su portingsets, each leg 3 thereof is provide with a relatively rigidhinge-forming plate member 33, (there may be, as before, one such memberon each side of each leg,) to which on one side of the leg the other endsection of the longitudinal bar on that side is pivoted, while on lheother side of the leg the remaining end of the intermediate section ispivoted. It will be noticed that the distance of the latter pivot fromthe leg of the set is somewhat greater than the distance of the pivot ofthe connected end section, although, preferably, the length of thesections between the two pivots is sufficient to enable the sections ofthe bar to rest upon the leg.

The relative distances mentioned in the last paragraph are adequate toenable the end sections last mentioned to be brought around toward thefolded end sections until the parts take the position indicated in Figs.

2 and 14, and Figs. Sand 15, when they may be bound to etherby stra s34.

Having t us describe my invention, I claim- 1. An article of foldingfurniture having in combination,oppositely-disposed frame arts, meansconnectmg the same one wit the other, a pair of members connected toand. extending from the frame parts, a crossbrace atthe ends of whichsaid members are located and which members are adapted to be positionedtransversely to said crossbrace 'and to extend when so positioned onboth sides thereof, and means extending between one of said members andthe crossbrace for turning the said member about the cross-brace as afulcrum while the member is in its said transverse position and for thenholding the member.

2. An article of folding furniture having incombination,oppositely-disposedframe iarts, means connecting the sameone with the other, a pair of members connected to and extending fromthe frame arts, a crossbrace at the ends of which said members arelocated and which members are adapted to be ositioned transversely tosaid cross-brace and) to extend when so positioned on both sidesthereof, diagonal braces extending from the cross-brace to the members,and means at at the end of a diagonal brace for turning throu h theinstrumentality of the latter one of sai members about the cross-braceas a fulerum and there holding it.

3. An article of folding furniture having in combination with a frame, apair of members connected thereto, a cross-brace at the ends of whichsaid members are located, means comprising links connecting saidcross-brace with the pair of said members for permitting the saidmembers to be folded down on opposite sides of said cross-brace withtheir corresponding ends in line, and means for turning through .theinstrumentality of one of said links, one of said members about thecross-brace as a fulcrum and there holding it.

4. In a folding cot, the combination of a pair of longitudinal bars, afabric connecting the same, `a pair of legs connected thereto, acrossbrace at the ends of whichsaid legs are located, means com risinglinks connecting said cross-brace wit the pair of legs for permittingthe latter to be folded down on opposite sides of the cross-brace withtheir corresponding ends in line, and means for turning through theinstrumentality of one of said links one of the legs about thecrossbrace as a fulcrum to thereby place and hold said fabric undertension.

5. An article of folding furniture having, in combination with a frame,a pair of members connected thereto, a cross-brace at the ends of whichsaid members are located, diagonal braces extending from the cross- ICOIIO

braces the connected leg about the crossbrace to the legs,- anda carrierfor adjusting the end of one of said diagonal braces in and out, and astop for holding the carrier in the drawn-in position of the brace.

6. An article of folding furniture having, in combination with a frame,a pair of legs connected thereto, a cross-brace at the ends of whichsaid members are located, diagonal braces extending from the cross-braceto the legs, a carrier pivotally Amounted on the cross-brace and towhich the end of one of said diagonal braces is pivoted and adapted toswing the line of effort of the diagonal brace across theipivotal axisof the brace, and a stop for said carrier.

7. A supporting set for an article of folding furniture, the samecomprising in combination, a pair of legs, stops on the legs, ahorizontal cross-brace adapted to engage' 'with the stops, diagonallinks extending from each end portion of the cross-brace to the legthereat, and a power-applying device for turning by means of one of`vsaid diagonal brace as a fulcrum.

8. In a folding-cot, the combination of a pair of jointed side barsforming end and intermediate sections, a fabric connecting said bars, aplurality of supporting sets, each set comprising a pair of legs, ahorizontal crossbrace, and diagonal braces, and means for turning a legin each set about the corresponding cross-brace as a fulcrum to therebyplace said fabric under tension, said jointed side bars being pivotallyconnected with said Supporting sets and foldable one pair of endsections between the other pair and the pair of intermediate sections.

9. In a cot, a pair of jointed side bars, a connecting fabric, and asupporting set under each pair of opposite joint-s of the side bars,each such sup orting set comprising a pair of legs, a crossrace anddiagonal links, said sets being foldable with the cross-braces in linewith the legs, combined with means for using the legs as levers to placethe fabric under tension, le s pivoted to the side bars at their ends, asoc et-forming plate rigidly secured to each such end leg, and removableend bars adapted to engage with'said sockets when the end legs are intheir supporting position.

10. `An article of folding furniture having in combination with a frame,a pair of members jointed thereto, a cross-brace at the ends of whichsaid members are located, and a link connection between each of saidmembers and the adjacent end portion of the cross-brace, one suchconnection comprising a longer link than the other whereby the memberscan be folded down on opposite sides of the cross-brace 'with theircorresponding ends in line.

11. An article of folding furniture having in combination with a frame,a pair of members jomted thereto, across-brace at the ends of which saidmembers are located, stops on the said members against which thecrossbrace is adapted to bear, and a link connection between each ofsaid members and the adjacent end portion of the cross-brace, one suchconnection comprising a longer link than the other whereby the memberscan be folded down on oppositesides of the crossbrace with theircorresponding ends in line.

12. An article of folding furniture having, in combination, a pair ofuprights, a platehinge pivoted to each upright, a pair of frame membersalso pivoted to each hinge, a cross-brace, stops on the uprights againstwhich the cross-brace is adapted to bear, and

a link connection between each upright and the adjacent end portion ofthe cross-brace, one such connection comprising a longer link than theother whereby the uprights can be folded down on opposite sides of thecrossbrace with their corresponding ends in line.

13. The combination with the frame members of an article of furniture,of a detachable end member, and laterally-extending projections disposedat the sides of the fralne members and forming sockets whose wallsconstitute stop-faces operating to prevent relative movement of theframe and the end member and to thereby strengthen the structure.

14. The combination with the opposite frame members of an article offurniture, of a pair of end uprights, a detachable end member, and aplate-hinge connecting each upright with its corresponding frame member,said plate-hinges having laterally-extending proj ect-ions formingsockets -whose walls constitute stop-faces operating to prevent relativemovement of the frame and end members and to thereby strengthen thestructure.

15. The combination with the opposite frame members of an article offurniture, of a pair of end uprights upon which the frame members rest,a detachable end member and a plate-hinge connecting each upright withits corresponding frame member, said platehinges being notched to form abottom and side wall for the detachable member and having horizontal andvertical rojections eX- tending laterally from the ate-hinges andforming elongated sockets or the reception of the detachable member.

16. In a folding cot, the combination of a pair of side frames eachcomprising three jointed sections, end legs upon which the side framesrest, plate-hinges connectil each leg to its corresponding frame-sectionand having laterally-extending projections constituting elongatedsockets, detachable end members adapted to fit in said sockets,intermediate pairs of legs connected to the frame at the joints betweenthe sections, plate-hinges pivotally connecting at least one pair ofintermediate legs to the frame members, and

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cross-braces each having a link connection with a pair of intermediatelegs.

17. An article of folding furniture having, in combination with a frame,a pair of members jointed thereto, a cross-brace at the ends of whichsaid members are located and which is separate from and independent ofsaid pair of members,0 and means connecting said cross-brace with thepair of said members for permitting the said members to be folded downon said cross-brace with their corresponding ends in line.

18. An article. of folding furnituie having in combination with a frame,a air of members connected thereto, a crossrace at the ends of whichsaid members are located and which is se arate from and independent ofsaid pair o members, and means comprising links connecting saidcross-brace with the pair of said members for permitting the saidmembers to be folded down on opposite sides of said cross-brace withtheir corresponding ends at substantially the same distance from theadjacent end of the cross-brace.

19. A folding cot having, in combination, longitudinal frame-bars, aflexible coveisecured to frame-bars, a air of legs one leg under eachframe-bar, a orizontal cross-brace at the ends of which the legs of saidpair of legs are located, stops on said legs with which the cross-braceengages, and means comprising links connecting said cross-brace with thepair of said legs for permittin the said legs to be folded down on saidcrossrace with their corresponding ends at substantially the samedistance from the adjacent end of the crossbrace.

20. A folding cot having, in combination, two longitudinal frame-barseach comprising parts joined to ether, a flexible cover secured to saidfrainears, sets of legs comprising pairs under the eorrespondin jointsbetween the parts of the two frame ars, horizontal cross-braces at theends of Which the legs of the res ective pairs thereof are located,stops on sai legs with which the cross-braces engage, and means comrisin links connecting said cross-braces wit the egs at their ends forpermitting the legs to be folded down on their connected cross-braceswith the corresponding ends of the legs at substantially the samedistance lfrom the adjacent end of the cross-brace.

21. A folding cot having, in combination, two longitudinal frame-barseach comprising parts jointed together, a flexible cover secured to saidframe-bars, sets of legs comprising pairs under the corresponding jointsetween the parts of the two frame-bars, horizontal cross-braces at theends of which the legs of the respective pairs thereof are located,stops on said legs with which the crossbraces engage, means comprisinglinks connecting said cross-braces with the legs at their ends forpermitting the legs to be folded down on their connected cross-braceswith the corresponding ends of the legs in line, pivoted end legs,removable end bars, and means for locking the pivoted end legs in theirsupporting position upon the insertion of the' end ars.

22. A folding cot having, in combination, longitudinal frame-bars eachcomprising parts jointed together, a flexible cover secured to saidframe-bars, pairs of legs under the corresponding joints of the twofraine'- bars, horizontal cross-braces one for each pair of legs and atthe ends of which the legs of the pair are located, stops on the legswith which the respective cross-braces engage, means connecting saidcross-braces with the res ective legs for permitting the latter to befol ed down on the cross-braces with their corresponding ends in line,end legs, hinges to which said end legs are connected and by which thelatter are pivotally connected with the frame-bars, pins projecting fromsaid frame-bars, and removable end bars adapted to engage with saidpins, said hinges having projecting portions adapted to fit over andunder the corresponding end bars and form sockets therefor and lock theextended end 1e s in position.

n testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

IRVING STANLEY, Witnesses:

PiERsoN L. WELLS, ETELKA DERcKs.

